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What are some of the specific measures required to ensure that infectious biological agents, infectious substances, and vectors are shipped safely?

The specific measures required to ensure that infectious biological agents, infectious substances, and vectors are shipped safely are included in the Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR Parts 171-180). A condensed version of these measures can be found in the obÌåÓý/NIH publication Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories.

What happens if a package containing an infectious biological agent, infectious substance, or vector is lost or damaged during shipment?

Requirements for All Infectious Substances

The DOT regulations (49 CFR 171.15 and 171.16) require each person in physical possession of a hazardous material, including an infectious substance, to report specific types of transportation incidents that involve these materials. Immediate reporting by telephone to the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802 is required for incidents where fire, breakage, spillage, or suspected contamination occurs that involves the shipment of infectious substances other than a patient specimen or regulated medical waste (See 49 CFR 171.15(b)(3)). In addition, a written report to DOT is required within 30 days of the discovery of the incident for any unintentional release of hazardous material from a packaging during transportation, including those covered under 49 CFR 171.15 (See 49 CFR 171.16(a)). DOT regulations also require packages that contain infectious substances to be accompanied by several forms of hazard communication, as applicable, as well as labeled to indicate the infectious hazard (See 49 CFR 172.432 for a depiction of the required label). This label currently includes a statement for reporting a damaged package.

Is our facility allowed to reuse shipping and packaging material?

Please refer to the Department of Transportation regulations (See 49 CFR 173.22 and 24) where it refers to the integrity of the packaging.

How to package and label shipment containing imported infectious biological agents, infectious substances, and vectors?

Imported infectious biological agents, infectious substances, and vectors classified as a Category A infectious substance must be packaged in accordance with the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) , and be accompanied by a shipping paper, marking, labeling, and note the appropriate emergency response information. Please see the for more information.

Labeling of Packages

The outer container of all Category A infectious substance packages must display the following:

• Sender's name and address.
• Recipient's name and address.
• Infectious substance label.
• Proper shipping name, UN number, and net quantity of infectious substance.
• Name and telephone number of person responsible for shipment.
• Cargo Aircraft Only label (when shipping quantities of infectious substance over 50 ml or 50 g by aircraft).
• Class 9 label, including UN 1845, and net weight if packaged with dry ice and identified as Carbon Dioxide, solid, or Dry ice.